DUSHANBE (Avesta News Agency) – Residents of Dushanbe express their concern over rapid increase in the prices of flour produced in Kazakhstan. The prices increased by $10 per 50 kg bag in average.

On Thursday morning, many markets of Dushanbe set 170-180 somoni (up to $41) prices per bag of flour produced in Kazakhstan. Entrepreneurs say that the increase in prices is due to decreased volume of flour imports from Kazakhstan.

This year, drought also damaged wheat crops in Russia and some of its neighbours. Russia’s crop was 39 million tonnes, down 9% from the August estimate and the second large cut in a row. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates Kazakhstan’s crop was reduced 4.5%. However, USDA considers drought hurt world crops less than many had feared. World wheat supplies are only marginally lower despite the losses, USDA said, and feed grain production also is down less than 1%, compared with August forecasts. The world wheat crop is down 5% from last year and coarse grains down 2.4%, however. World rice production is on par with last year.